California First State To Receive Approval for Services Under Community First Choice Option

California will be the first State to receive new federal Medicaid funding from the Community First Choice (CFC) Option in the Affordable Care Act, according to an announcement made today by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Acting Administrator Marilyn Tavenner. The CFC Option is a new Medicaid State plan option which allows States to provide broadly-defined home and community-based attendant services to certain Medicaid beneficiaries who would otherwise need nursing facility or other institutional services. States choosing to participate receive a 6 percentage point increase in their federal medical assistance percentage (FMAP) for services provided under this option. California will receive an estimated $258 million dollars for the first year of implementation, and $315 million for the second year. The increased funding is available as long as the option is included as a benefit in the State’s Medicaid program.